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"Like you did yesterday?" Novo countered, his blue eyes blazing. "If I hadn't been there—"
"I know," I snapped, suddenly angry. "I know I'm pathetic and helpless and a complete disaster. You don't have to remind me."
Novo's expression shifted, surprise replacing anger. "That's not what I meant."
"Isn't it?" I challenged, tears threatening. "Poor little Matty who can't even cross the street without nearly getting killed. Who gets fired from a minimum wage job. Who has to pay someone to marry him because no one would want him otherwise."
"Matty—"
"Just... just tell me where I'm staying, then," I said, deflating suddenly. "Since I apparently don't get a say in the matter."
Novo studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then he sighed, running a hand over his beard. "You're staying with me. At my house. Where I can keep you safe."
"Fine," I whispered, exhaustion washing over me. The hangover, the emotional rollercoaster, the constant fear—it was all too much.
"It's not about not wanting you in my space," Novo said quietly. "I just... I like my privacy. It's nothing personal."
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. It shouldn't hurt—his explanation made perfect sense. But the knowledge that he'd deliberately kept his real home from me stung in ways I couldn't articulate.
"Come on," Novo said, his voice gentler now. "I'll show you where you'll be staying."
He picked up two of the boxes while I clutched Patches and my duffel bag. We exited through a back door of the clubhouse and followed a gravel path that wound behind the main building. About fifty yards back stood a group of seven cabins. Novo led me to the one on the right, partially hidden by trees.
"It's not much," Novo said as we approached. "But it's home."
He balanced the boxes on his hip to unlock the door, then shouldered it open. I followed him inside and stopped in my tracks. The cabin was nothing like I'd expected. Instead of alpha-male hunting lodge, it was... beautiful.
Rich wooden walls gave the space a warm, amber glow. A stone fireplace dominated one wall of the open living area, flanked by built-in bookshelves filled with actual books. A large leather couch faced the fireplace, worn in places but clearly well-loved, with a handwoven throw draped across its back. The coffee table looked handmade, solid, and sturdy like everything else.
The kitchen was visible through an archway—all dark wood cabinets and granite countertops, with copper pots hanging from a rack above a professional-grade stove. Everything was immaculate, organized with military precision.
"You live here?" I asked, unable to hide my surprise.
Novo set the boxes down, watching my reaction closely. "For the last five years. Built most of it myself."
"It's beautiful," I admitted, taking in the details. Masculine, yes, but thoughtfully designed and surprisingly cozy. Nothing like the stark bachelor pad I'd imagined.
And exactly something I would want for myself. Before I got shipped off to boarding school, my godfather's place looked like it should have been in Versailles. And I'd hated it. Thenit had been all about expensive ultra-modern apartments with absolutely no soul.
"Thanks," Novo said, something like pride flickering in his eyes. "Spare bedroom's this way."
He led me down a short hallway to a door on the right. The bedroom was smaller than the main space but just as comfy—a queen-sized bed with a navy quilt, a dresser, and a small desk by the window that overlooked a small deck and garden.
"Bathroom's across the hall," Novo explained. "Kitchen's stocked. Make yourself at home."
I set Patches on the bed, feeling suddenly awkward. "Thank you. I'll try not to... get in your way."
Novo frowned. "This isn't about you being in my way, Matty. It's about keeping you safe."
"Right," I nodded, not meeting his eyes. "The contract."
Novo made a sound that might have been frustration. "Look, I need to get back to the clubhouse. Meeting starts soon. Will you be okay here for a couple of hours?"
"I'm not a child," I said reflexively, then winced at how petulant it sounded.
"Never said you were," Novo replied evenly. "There's food in the fridge if you get hungry. TV remote's on the coffee table. Wi-Fi password is on the fridge."
I nodded again, sitting on the edge of the bed. "Go. I'll be fine."